Door and window water shield



July 9, 1963 c. w. PETERS 3,096,816

DOOR AND WINDOW WATER SHIELD Filed Nov. 9, 1961 Fig.1

Fig 8 6 24 i 7 J I 4 /52/r//22 k j 1 7 Fl Fig.3 24 20 W 72 28 Carl w. Peters 22 42 32 INVENTOR. 9 4 5 2 5,4 56 36 United States Patent 3,036,816 DOOR AND WINDOW WATER SHIELD Carl W. Peters, 8613 W. Park, Fort Myers, Fla. Filed Nov. 9, 1961, Ser. No. 151,372 4 Claims. ((11. 160-215) This invention relates to a novel and useful door and window water shield and is primarily designed for the purpose of preventing an exceptionally high tide from entering the door and window openings of building structures.

While it is to be understood that the door and window water shield of the instant invention may be used for the same purpose in substantially all locations for preventing the entrance of extremely high tidal waters into building structures or the entrance of flash flood waters thereinto, the door and window water shield of the instant invention has been primarily designed for use in areas frequented by high tidal waters such as hurricane areas.

In hurricane areas building structures such as houses are commonly built on a substantially ground level concrete slab and are not provided with subgrade basements. In addition, most houses in hurricane areas are provided with cinder block Walls or the like which are secured at their lower edges directly to the concrete foundation slab and accordingly, if the concrete slab and cinder block or other similar walls are properly treated, the only way tidal waters may enter building structures of this type is to enter through doorway and window openings. Therefore, if a means may be provided for sealing the lower portion of door and window openings, substantially high tidal waters may be kept from entering building structures.

It is therefore the main object of this invention to pro vide a door and window opening water shield whidh may be quickly and efficiently secured in the lower portion of either a door or window opening in such a manner so as to provide a water impervious barrier across the lower end of the opening in which the shield is disposed.

A further object of this invention, in accordance with the immediately preceding object, is to provide a door and window water shield which may be readily adjusted for door and window openings of various widths.

A further object of this invention is to provide a water shield in accordance with the preceding objects which may be installed properly without the use of special tools and even by persons not normally accustomed to handling mechanical devices.

A final object to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide a door and Window water shield in accordance with the preceding objects which will conform to com ventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble free in operation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming apart hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a conventional type of doorway opening formed in a building wall structure and showing the door and window water shield of the instant invention properly mounted in the lower portion of the door opening;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged horizontal section view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 3--3 of FIGURE 1;

Patented July 9, 1963 "ice FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view on somewhat of an enlarged scale taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 44 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 5-5 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 6-6 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is an exploded perspective view of the door and window water shield; and

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of one side of the door opening illustrated in FIG- URE 1 showing the manner in which abutment means may be removably secured to the portions in the wall defining the door opening and used in conjunction with wedge means for forcing the lower edge of the door and window water shield down upon the lower edge of the door opening.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings the numeral 10 generally designates a wall structure of water impervious material which has been erected on a concrete foundation slab generally referred to by the reference numeral 12. A doorway opening generally referred to by the reference numeral 14 is formed in the wall 10 and a door 16 is swingably mounted in the doorway opening 14 in any convenient manner.

The door and window water shield of the instant invention is generally designated by the reference numeral 18 and it will be seen that the shield 18 comprises an upstanding panel assembly generally referred to by the reference numeral 20 and constructed of water impervious material. The panel assembly 20 includes a pair of substantially straight and planar panel sections generally referred to by the reference numerals 22 and 24 and it will be noted that the panel sections 22 and 24 are disposed in end-to-end relation and have their adjacent ends pivotally secured together by means of a piano hinge assembly generally referred to by the reference numeral 28 which is secured to the panel sections 22 and 24 in any convenient manner such as by fasteners 30.

The panel section 22 may be seen to comprise a pair of end overlapped panel section elements generally referred to by the reference numerals 32 and 34 and it will be noted that the panel sect-ion element 32 is provided with an elongated slot 36 which is substantially horizontally disposed. The panel section element 34 has a bore 38 formed therethrough which is registrable with the slot 40 and it may be observed that the end of the bore 38 remote from the panel section element 32 includes a counterbore 40. Additionally, it may be seen that the portions of the slot 36 remote from the panel section element 34 are enlarged as at 42 to define a shoulder 44 extending peripherally about the slot 36.

A headed fastener 46 has its head portion 48 received within the counterbore 40 and a grommet 50 of waterproof rnaterialis disposed between the headed end of the fastener 46 and the surfaces of the bore 38 and the counterbore 40. Accordingly, the headed fastener 46 is sealed relative to the panel section element 34 for preventing water from passing through the panel section element 34 by means of the bore 38 and the counterbore 40.

The shank portion 52 of the fastener 46 extends through the slot 36 and a fastener 54 is threadedly engaged with the end of the fastener 46 remote from its head 48 with a washer 56 disposed between the fastener 54 and the shoulder 44. In this manner, the panel section elements 32 and 34 are drawn tightly together by means of the fastener 46 and it will be noted that a sheet 58 of waterproof material is disposed between the 3 confronting surfaces of the panel section elements 32 and 34.

With attention now directed to FIGURES 3 and 7 of the drawings it will be noted that first and second strips 60 and 62 of waterproof sealing material aresecured to the upstanding side surfaces of the panel section 24 and the lower surface thereof and the upstanding side surface of the panel section element 32 adjacent the panel section 24 and the lower surface of the panel section element 32. Additionally, it may be seen that a strip of waterproof sealing material referred to by the reference numeral 64 is secured to the lower surface of the panel section element 34 and the upstanding side surface thereof remote from the panel section 24.

With attention now directed to FIGURES 5 and 6 of the drawings it will be noted that the upstanding portions of the aforementioned sealing strips comprise a plurality of longitudinallysp'aced and individually sealed cellular constructions 68 and that the portions 'of-the aforementioned sealing strips disposed along the lower surfaces of the panel section 24 and section elements 32 and 34 are formed of strip portions of solid resilient and waterproof material designated by the reference numeral 70. j

It will be noted from FIGURE 3 of the drawings that the confronting portions of the sealing strips '60 and 62 are' secured beneath the leaves 72 of the piano hinge 28. Additionally, it maybe observed from FIGURE 3 of the drawings that when the panel sections 22 and 24 are disposed in substantially coplanar relation that they are in fact pivoted to" an over-center position whereby the resiliency of the sealing strips carried by opposite ends of the panel sections 22' and 24 will have a tendency to urge the panel sections 22 and'24 toward the limit (position defined by the end abutting edges thereof. 7

With attention now directed to FIGURES 1 and 8 of the drawings there will be seen a pair of abutment members '76 r'emovably secured to the opposite side 4- opening water shield for preventing the entrance of water through said opening in the event the water level of water on one side of said wall rises above the level of said lower edge, said water shield comprising an upstanding water impervious panel assembly for tight frictional engagement with said lower and end edges, said panel assembly being substantially straight and planar and including lower and opposite end edges, means removably securing said panel assembly in the lower portion of said opening with the lower and opposite end edges of said panel assembly disposed in fluid tight sealing engagement with the lower and opposite end edges of said opening, said panel assembly comprising a pair of panel sections disposed in end-to-end relation and pivedges 78 of the doorway opening 14 by'v means of removable pins 80. The abutment members 76 are disposed slightly above theupper surface of. the shield 18' and a pair of wedge elements 82 are utilized and wedged between the confronting surfaces of the shield 18 and the abutment member 76 to tightly urge the shield 18 downwardly against the lower edge 84 of the opening 24.

While the shield 18 hasbeen illustrated and described herein as including a two-piece panel section 22, it will be noted that the panel section 22 could be' formed of one-piece construction. 'In this case, each guard or shield 18 would be made to the exact size of the opening in which it ist'o be secured. H I v p p The foregoing is considered as illustrative onlyof the principlesof the invention. Further, since numerousmodifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled'in' the fart, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What isclaimed as new is as-follows:

V 1. In combination witha wall having an opening formed therein including. opposite upstanding end edges and a lower edge interconnecting said end edges, a wall otally secured together at adjacent end edges by means of a hinge including a pair of leaves secured to and extending along the marginal portions of corresponding side surfaces of said sections and pivotally secured together by means of a pivot extending along said adjacent end edges of said panel sections for movement between a limit posit-ion with said panel sections substantially coplanar and a position with said panel sections angularly disposed relative to each other, a pair of flexible sealing strips substantially L-shaped in cross section each including one portion secured between the corresponding hinge leaf and the associated panel section and a second portion overlying the corresponding one of said adjacent end edges of said panel sections and disposed between said adjacent ends with said second portions sealing said panel sections in fluid tight sealing engagement with each other, seal means disposed about the lower and opposite end edges of said panel sections sealing said panel sections in, fluid tight sealing engagement with each other and the remote end edges and the lower edges of said panel sections in fluid tight sealing engagement with said end and lower edges of said opening, abutment means carried by the portions of said wall defining the sides of said opening above said water shield, and Wedge means operatively engaged with said abutment means and upper portions of said shield forcing said shield tightly down upon said lower edge of said opening.

. 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein one of said panel sections comprises a pair of overlapped panel section elements, means securing said elements in adjusted overlapped extended positions relative to each other.

3. The combination of claim. 2 including seal means disposed between the confronting surfaces of said elements sealing the latter in fluid tight sealing engagement with each other. 7

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said seal means is compressible and resilient.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 589,665 Milnes Sept. 7, 1897 1,534,636 Craig 1 Apr. 21, 1925 1,921,193 Kelly Aug. 8, 1933 1,995,431 McCloud Mar. 26, 1935 2,037,693 Bea-uchamp Apr. 21, 1936 2,158,395 Beil May 16, 1939 2,504,635 Bradley Apr. 18, 1950 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A WALL HAVING AN OPENING FORMED THEREIN INCLUDING OPPOSITE UPSTANDING END EDGES AND A LOWER EDGE INTERCONNECTING SAID END EDGES, A WALL OPENING WATER SHIELD FOR PREVENTING THE ENTRANCE OF WATER THROUGH SAID OPENING IN THE EVENT THE WATER LEVEL OF WATER ON ONE SIDE OF SAID WALL RISES ABOVE THE LEVEL OF SAID LOWER EDGE, SAID WATER SHIELD COMPRISING AN UPSTANDING WATER IMPERVIOUS PANEL ASSEMBLY FOR TIGHT FRICTIONAL ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID LOWER AND EDGES, SAID PANEL ASSEMBLY BEING SUBSTANTIALLY STRAIGHT AND PLANAR AND INCLUDING LOWER AND OPPOSITE END EDGES, MEANS REMOVABLY SECURING SAID PANEL ASSEMBLY IN THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID OPENING WITH THE LOWER AND OPPOSITE END EDGES OF SAID PANEL ASSEMBLY DISPOSED IN FLUID TIGHT SEALING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE LOWER AND OPPOSITE END EDGES OF SAID OPENING, SAID PANEL ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A PAIR OF PANEL SECTIONS DISPOSED IN END-TO-END RELATION AND PIVOTALLY SECURED TOGETHER AT ADJACENT END EDGES BY MEANS OF A HINGE INCLUDING A PAIR OF LEAVES SECURED TO AND EXTENDING ALONG THE MARGINAL PORTIONS OF CORRESPONDING SIDE SURFACES OF SAID SECTIONS AND PIVOTALLY SECURED TOGETHER BY MEANS OF A PIVOT EXTENDING ALONG SAID ADJACENT END EDGES OF SAID PANEL SECTIONS FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN A LIMIT POSITION WITH SAID PANEL SECTIONS SUBSTANTIALLY COPLANAR AND A POSITION WITH SAID PANEL SECTIONS 